Nearly 300 retired generals, ex-gov’t officials pledge support for Lacson

Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson. Photo from Lacson-Sotto media bureau

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly 300 retired police and military generals together with former government officials pledged their support and loyalty to presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson through a manifesto signed on Friday.

In a press conference, former Cabinet secretaries and past officials of the Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as well as their attached organizations—a number of whom worked with Lacson and served under different administrations, expressed their decision to stand with Lacson and his running mate, vice presidential bet Senate President Vicente Sotto III.

In their signed manifesto, the fresh batch of Lacson supporters asserted the competence, bravery and honesty of Lacson, which they said makes him the best candidate suited to lead the country.

“Mayroon siyang (Lacson) code of honor na natutunan niya pa bilang kadete sa Philippine Military Academy, at kailanman ay hindi siya nasangkot sa ano mang katiwalian sa panahon niya sa Philippine National Police. Sa kanyang panunungkulan bilang Senador, hindi siya kailanman tumanggap ng tinatawag na ‘pork barrel,’” a portion of their manifesto read.

(He has a code of honor, which he learned since he was a cadet in the Philippine Military Academy, and he never got involved in any issue of corruption during his time with the Philippine National Police. As a sitting senator, he also did not receive what we call “pork barrel.”)

Among those present in the press conference are former Antipolo Rep. Romeo Acop, who assumed the responsibility of being Lacson’s overall campaign manager, and former Bureau of Internal Revenue commissioner Kim Henares, who will serve as the assistant campaign manager.

Lacson’s spokesman former Rep. Ashley “Ace” Acedillo said Acop is now the one in charge of running Lacson’s presidential campaign through the Lacson-Sotto Support Group (LSSG) and its organized units across 59 provinces nationwide. The decision was made after Lacson separated himself from Partido Reporma last week.

“We planned this after the breakaway of the Reporma party from supporting our presidential candidate, Ping Lacson. Gusto namin mag-meet kasi para ipaalam sa taumbayan na (si) Ping Lacson ay hindi po umatras sa laban… Kami na mga supporters niya, hindi rin kami umaatras sa laban,” Acop, a fellow former police officer who joined politics, said.

(We wanted to meet to inform our countrymen that Ping Lacson is not backing out from the presidential race… And we, his supporters, are also not backing down from this fight.)

Meanwhile, Henares shut down suggestions for Lacson to just withdraw from the presidential race.

“Why don’t those who don’t have the capability and who cannot do the job back out? But if somebody who is… I always say we have the best [candidate] in Ping Lacson. Why should somebody who is the best back out? The ones who should think about backing out are those who cannot measure up to his capability,” she said.

Former Defense Secretary Orlando Mercado also vouched for Lacson, saying his leadership attributes are befitting of the country’s next president.

Mercado sees Lacson to be the lone presidential candidate capable of leading the nation at a time of discord and uncertainty.

He then urged Filipino voters to apply the same guiding principles that most chief executive officers use when they are about to welcome people into their organizations: “hire on character, train on skills.”

“To those who are underestimating this group, I am reminded by the words of Margaret Mead [who once said] ‘never doubt a group of thinking and committed citizens to change the world,’” Mercado said.

For his part, Retired Col. Mariano Santiago, who served under the administrations of Presidents Ferdinand Marcos Sr. and Corazon Aquino, said he is backing Lacson’s because he has already grown tired of the same “political dynasties” taking turns to run the country.

He called on Filipinos to “wake up” and elect better public servants, as he challenged the line of reasoning that some people have in their reluctance to cast their vote for Lacson.

“Si Ping, second choice; si Ping, magaling ‘yan, pero sayang lang ang boto namin—masasayang.’ Bakit masasayang? (Ping was only the second choice; Ping is good but our votes might be wasted. Why would your votes be wasted?),” Santiago said.

“Remember, people, the one vote of a very poor voter is the same as the one vote of the most powerful and richest man in this country. Tabla ang mahirap at mayaman. (The rich and poor are equal),” he added.

Former Interior and Communications Secretary Eliseo Rio, former Defense Undersecretary Honorio Azcueta, retired Major Gen. Carlos Tañega, retired Brig. Gen. Francisco Atayde, retired Police Brig. Gen. Edwin Corvera, and former PCG Commandant Vice Admiral Edmund Tan were also among those who expressed support for Lacson.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong, former National Bureau of Investigation director Magtanggol Gatdula, and former ACT-CIS party-list representative Samuel Pagdilao, Jr., who joined the press conference online, also signed the manifesto.

JPV